Cableway carriage



Dec, 1924.

J. P. STREET CABLEWAY CARRIAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'Filed June 26, 1922 \\F.C hw NM. V@

Patented Dec. 30? 1924.

UNITED STATES BATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH P. STREET, OF CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOE T0 STREET BROS. MACHINE WORKS, OF CHATT'ANOQGA, TENNESSEE.

CABLEWAY CARRIAGE.

Application filed .Tune y536, 1922. Serial No. 570,811.

T 0 all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, JOSEPH P. STREET, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Cableway Carriage7 of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to carriages for use in connection with aerial cableways such as employ carriers for supporting the running lines of the cableways.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a carriage which, when moved along a cableway, will deliver rope carriers at substantially regular intervals onto the supporting cable and will subsequently pick up the rope carriers successively and convey them back to the point of starting.

A further object is to provide the carriage with novel means for ejecting the rope carriers, said means including a differential mechanism by means of which ample space is provided for the reception of the first carrier subsequent to its ejection from the carriage and during the return or collecting trip of the carriage.

Another object is to provide simple and efficient means whereby that portion of the carriage engaging the carriers is substantially counterbalanced, thus to maintain that portion of the carriage which supports the carriers, commonly called the horn, properly positioned relative to the track rope or cable.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed7 changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been. shown.

In said drawings- Figure l is a side elevation of the apparatus constituting the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof, a portion being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3 3. Figure 2.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference A designates the main or supporting cable of an aerial carriage and mounted to travel thereon are supporting sheaves 1 preferably arranged in pairs, the sheaves of each pair being journaled between side plates 2 which. in turn. are connected, as by means of bolts 3. to the upper corner portions of the side plates l of the carriage body. Small supplemental sheaves 5 are journaled on the bolts 3 and are supported close to and under the cable A so as to hold the sheaves 1 on said cable. An in-haul line 6 is attached to one end of the carriage body while an out-haul line 7 is connected to the other end of the body. Tnterposed between the side plates 4 of the body are sheaves 8 adapted to support the cables of a hoist, not shown while arranged between the side plates 4 and above and adjacent one of the sheaves 8 is a small sheave 9 adapted to support that portion of the out-haul line 7 that extends back through the aerial carriage to the mechanism (not shown) utilized for operating the line.

One of the sheaves 1 is secured in any suitable manner to a rotatable shaft 10 ournaled in suitable bearings 11 carried by the plates 2. To one end of this shaft 10 is secured a beveled gear 12 which constantly meshes with a larger beveled gear 13 secured to a longitudinal shaft 14 journaled within a laterally extending bearing 15. This bearing is attached to one side portion of a forked arm 16 which straddles one pair of side plates 2 and is fulcrumed on the shaft 10.

Pivotally connected to each of the side plates 4 of the body is a counterbalance lever 17 having a forked end 18 adapted to work along an arcuate guide 19 secured to the side plate 4l. Mounted on each lever 17 is a weight 20 which can be held in any desired position by means of set screws 21. Links 29. connect the levers 17 to the adjacent ends of the forked arm 16 and weight 20 is of such mass as to yieldingly maintain the horn 23 elevated with reference to the cable A.

The arm 16 is eXieIlded beyond one end of the carriage body and has its side portions converging toward the free end of the arm where they emerge into a horn 23 the free endof which is inclined downwardly toward the cable A and upwardly to a retaining shoulder 24.

Slidable on the arm 16 adjacent the side plates 2 is a cross head 25 having` guides 26 in which is slidably mounted a push bar 27 having a link 28 pivotally connected thereto as shown at 29. This link is also pivotally connected to a crank pin 30 eccentrically mounted on and rotatable with a gear 31 suitably supported within the cross head. Said gear meshes with segmental gear or rack 32 formed at one end of a bell crank 33 fulcrunied at 34' on a suitable bracket 35 extending from the cross head. The other end of the bell crank has a pin 36 extending downwardly therefrom and this pin projects into engagement with a worm '37 carried by a sleeve 38 which is feathered on the shaft 14 so that the worm will rotate with the shaft while the shaft is capable of slidingwithin the sleeve The ends of the worm terminate short of the ends ofl the sleeve 38 so that the spiral groove formed between the thread of the worm opens at its Yends within annular grooves 39 at the end portions of the sleeve V38. This will be apparent by referring to Figure 1. Thus when the worm is rotated in one direction the pin 36 will be engaged by the worm and shifted longitudinally of the sleeve 33 until it reaches the end groove 39 whereupon it will remain seated in said groove while the sleeve continues to rotate. The same action will take place when the sleeve is rotated in the opposite direction, the pin 36 being fed back toward the other end of the sleeve 38 and there remaining` in the end groove 39 during the further rotation of the sleeve A stop pin 40 is extended from the bell crank`33 and works back and forth between opposed stop rads 41 slidable within casings 42 supported' by brackets 43 entending laterally from the housing.` Springs 44 are arranged Nithin these vcasings and thrust against the stop rods so as to press them toward the bell crank 33. The rods are limited in their vmovement by nuts 45 adjust-ably engaging them and bearing' against tubularV plugs 46 adjustably mounted in the casings and constituting plug bearings for the springs 44.- Obviously each time the bell crank 33 is shifted it will come against one of the stop rods 41 and be cushioned thereby and thrown backr toward the center so as to again engage the worm thread on its reversal.

A bracket 47 is extended from the cross head and the shaft 14 extends through this bracket andl also through the bracket 43. The sleeve`38-is mounted'on that portion of.

the shaft between the two brackets 43 while supported on the shaft 14 and between bracket 47 and the adjacent bracket 43 is a feed nut 48. The shaft 14 is screw threaded shown'at 49 and the nut 48 engages the threaded portion so that whenthe shaft is rotated said nut and the entire cross head is shifted longitudinally ofthe carriage and relative to the arm 16.

The cross head has a depending frame 49 provided with reenforcing braces 50 and carrying at its lower end a buffe-r or block 51. Journaled between the braces 50 are upper and lower supplemental sheaves 52 and 53 between which the cable A eXtendsand these sheaves are adapted to be adjusted toward or from each other by means of screws 54 located in brackets 55 on the outer sides of the braces and which support the bearings 56 of the sheaves. Obviously by adjusting` these screws the sheaves can be moved toward or from each other, thereby to be in proper relation to the supporting cable A therebetween. e

Carriers one of which has been indicated by broken lines at B are adapted to be supported by the cable A. l v

'At the beginning of the movement of the carriage under the pull of the out-haul line a seriesof carriers B is mounted on the arm 1G between the 4cross head and the shoulder 24. The rotation 'of one'of the sheaves 1 will result in the rotation of shaft 14 and, consequently, the pin 36 will be shifted longitudinally of the sleeve 38 by theV worm 3T, thus causing the bell crank to actuate segmental gear 32 and impart a one-half revolution to the gear 31. Thus the pin 30 will be moved through 130O from the position shown in Figure 2 and will cause the push bar 27 to move from the position shown in said figure to a point where one end is extended (toward the shoulder 24l a distance equal to twice the throw of thevpin 30. As the carriage continues to travel along the cable A and thel shaft 14 continues to rotate, the nut 43 will be fed along the threaded portion of the shaft 14, causing the cross head to move along arm 16 andthe bar 27 'to thrust against the carrier B nearest thereto. Thus the cuter end of the carrier will be pushed over the shoulder 24 and onto the cable A and after the carriage Vhas moved a predetermined distance another carrier will be thrust over shoulder 24 and gravitate tothe cable A. Thus when the carriage completes its outward trip all of the carriers will have been deposited yon the cablev A at substantially equal distances. Counterbalancing` weights'20 serve substantially to support the weight of the carrier while on the arm 16, the upper sheave 52 supporting a portion of the load of the carriers until they have ybeen discharged after which the sheave 53,by thrusting upwardly il (l against the cable A, receives the excess pressure due to the overbalancing of the arm 16 by the weights 20. By providing the sheaves 52 and 53 it will be noted that the horn 23 is held substantially at a uniform distance from the cable A whether or not the carriers B are mounted on the arm 16.

TW hen the carriage begins its return stroke the worm 3? promptly shifts bell crank 33 so as to pull the push bar 27 backwardly away Jfrom the shoulder 24 adjacent which the cross head is located. rThus sutficient space is lett to receive the first carrier B when the carriage starts its return movement. As the carriage continues to move back toward the starting point the cross head gradually moves away from the shoulder Q4, thus providing ample space to receive the additional carriers as they are picked up by the horn 23 and directed onto the arm 16.

Although one form oit mechanism for operating a push bar 27 has been shown and described, it is to be understood that other constructions of differential mechanisms can be employed for accomplishing the same purpose. Also instead ot utilizing the counterbalance weights and levers illustrated and described, other arrangements can be employed tor maintaining the horn 23 in proper relation to the cable A.

`What is claimed is l. The combination with a track cable, of a carriage movable therealong, and including a rotatable cable engaging sheave, an arm movable with and adapted to swing upwardly and downwardly relative to the carriage, yielding means for holding the free end of the arm normally elevated, a cross head slidable longitudinally oil.: the arm, means operated by the rotation ot the sheave for moving the cross head toward or -trom the horn, a push device movable relative to the cross head, and means operated by the intial movement ot the cross head toward or from the horn for moving the push device in the direction ot movement of the cross head but a greater speed than the cross head.

2. The combination with a track cable, a carriage movable tberealong, an arm movable with the carriage for supporting fall rope carriers and a pick-up horn at the free end ot the arms, ot a cross head upon the arm, means operated by the movement of the carriage, horn first, for moving the cross head toward the horn and, by the movement of the carriage in the opposite direction, for moving the cross head away from the horn, a push device movably mounted on the cross head, and means operated by the initial movement of the cross head toward or from the horn for moving said push device toward or from the horn respectively at a greater speed than the cross head.

3. The combination with a track cable, ot a carriage movable therealong, an arm tiltably connected to and projecting beyond one end ot the carriage, a horn at the tree end ot the arm, yielding means connected to the arm tor holding the horn normally elevated to one limit ot its movement, and superposed means connected to the arm for engaging the track cable to maintain the horn substantially in a predetermined relation to the cable under all conditions.

il. rlhe combination with a track cable, of a carriage movable therealong, an arm tiltably connected to and projecting beyond one end ot the carriage, a horn at the free end of the arm, yielding means connected to the arm for holding the horn normally elevated to one limit ot its movement, a frame depending `from the arm and superposed cable engaging sheaves adjustably carried by the trame for maintaining the arm substantially in a predetermined relation to the cable irrespective of the load carried by the arm.

5. The combination with a track cable, ot a carriage movable therealong and including a rotatable cable engaging sheave, a substantially counterbalanced arm movable with the carriage for supporting fall rope carriers, a pick up horn at the 'tree end of the arm, a cross head supported by the arm, sheaves movable with the cross head and engaging the cable for limiting the up and down movement ot the horn relative to the cable, and means operated by the rotation of the sheave for moving the cross head toward or from the horn.

6. The combination with a track cable, of a carriage movable therealong and including a rotatable cable engaging sheave, an arm tulcrumed on the carriage, means for substantially counterbalancing the arm, a pick up horn at the free end of the arm, a cross head movable along the arm, a push device carried by and movable relative to the cross head, means operated by the rotation of the sheave tor shitting the cross head relative to the arm and for moving the push device in the direction of movement ot the cross head during the initial portion ot said movement of the cross head.

ln testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto atlixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

J. P. STREET.

"Witnesses:

O. E. JANEWAY, J. H. STREET. 

